Sodality Arc: Story 1, Jakotsu
by Eboni
Summary: The forming of the Shichinintai told in a 7 story arc. Follow Bankotsu as he inducts new members.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Hello, my name is Eboni and this is my first Inuyasha fan fiction. I have watched the series up to Episode 146. I pretty much like all of the characters but my favorite people by far are Jakotsu, Bankotsu, and Sesshoumaru (he's just hot). Lol, ignore that comment. I'm not a little fan girl, and this isn't a pairing story. I was just very curious about the process of forming the Shichinin-tai that Bankotsu and Jakotsu went through. It was obvious those two were traveling buddies for a while before they formed the group. This is my attempt to humor myself with an explanation. I hope you enjoy it. I have 4 chapters completed, but I'm going to start off with the prologue and chapter 1 to see how you guys like it. 

Sodality  
  
  
  


Prologue  
  
  
  


His father had told him to run as fast as could and not to stop until he drew near the next village, which was nearly a day's journey away. The 13-year-old's rapidly declining pace slowed to a crawl as he neared a small stream. He hadn't had fresh water since late the previous night before he and his father had started that awful mission. It was every assassin's nightmare: a paranoid target who was ready for you and anyone else after his blood before you walked through the door. There was a trap in every corner and bodyguards hidden in every shadow. 

Bankotsu had been sure both he and his father would die, but his father ended up doing something that shocked him, even now as he fell to his knees in the mud of the banks of the stream for his first taste of clean water in hours. His father had sacrificed himself for him. His father had thrown himself in the path of the samurai after them and told him to run and not look back until he reached the next village, and Bankotsu had done just that. He was no coward, but he hadn't wanted to die...and if he had stayed, he surely would have. 

After he had satiated himself, he scooted away from the soft mud and fell onto his back in the springy grass, lying adjacent to the large halberd his father had presented to him as a gift a few days ago. Banryuu, he'd called it. Bankotsu knew he could have doubled his speed without the heavy weapon strapped to his back; he could have been to the village hours ago, but he would never leave the beautiful sword behind. He hadn't even gotten to use it, but he planned to remedy that soon. In the village, he would buy a confiscate a horse, stock up on food, carrying skins for water, first aide supplies, and more suitable clothing for himself, then he was going to hit the road as a soldier for hire. He wasn't quite old or large enough yet to attract many customers by appearance alone, but once people started to get an idea of what he could do, they'd flock to him like bees to honey. 

He let out a deep sigh of personal contentment at his plan and tucked his arms behind his head for cushion as he shut his eyes for a nap. He supposed he should be a trifle traumatized as most normal people would be that his father had just been killed in his presence and that he was totally alone in the world... but well, his father had never really been a father. He was a mentor of sorts, treating Bankotsu like a pupil, a soldier he was training to follow his art of warfare. The man was strong and Bankotsu respected him greatly, but there was never any personal attachment. The only gifts the man had ever given his son was his life... that was given to him twice in fact, and the Banryuu. For the most part, traveling with his father was like going to school with no breaks; he was finally out for summer. Goodbye, Father, and thank you. I'll show Japan all you've taught me with pride, and the first warm body I kill with the Banryuu you gave me will be in your honor.

The boy chuckled and soon fell asleep with a soft smile on his lips.  
  



	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: You're still here? Or did you skip the prologue? Either way, I'm happy to see you! (Yes, I know I'm corny as hell; I blame it on my breakfast cereal, which I'm having for dinner tonight by-the-way). I hope you liked the prologue and here is chapter 1:

Chapter 1  
  


The village turned out to be more of a city; there was a market place, a tavern, a boarding house with a restaurant, and some other buildings made of stone. Then, a little away from the downtown area, there were houses of various sizes, some made of stone rather than wood and at the edge of town was a large manor. The lord living here must be very wealthy, indeed, Bankotsu thought as he strolled through town square, ignoring the looks he got from the people he passed. He had made up a story, of course, to explain why he was alone and ragged, holding onto a weapon twice his size, but he didn't plan on telling it to everyone he passed, only the ones who mattered. He set Banryuu against the sturdy wooden wall of the boarding house, trusting no one would touch it as he gazed around at anyone who eye'd him dangerously and slid inside the building. A middle-aged woman rose from a floor mat to greet him as soon as she saw him.

"Hello," Bankotsu said pleasantly, gazing around the room, which decorated quite tastefully. "I would like to rent a room for a night or two, if you have any vacancies, that is?"

The woman blinked at him curiously, "Are your parents outside, young man?"

"No ma'am," Bankotsu said, hanging his head a bit and lowering his voice to a sad whisper. "I'm alone."

The woman's dark eyes widened in compassion as her something inside her fed her a story of what could have happened. A maternal expression came over her face then, "You poor dear, what happened?"

"Bandits. I was traveling with my Dad and they surrounded us. He told me to run to safety and he'd come to get me later. I hid in the woods for two days! He never came to get me, so I...I figured I'd look for him. Maybe he got lost."

The woman's lips trembled and her eyes watered a bit as she smiled at Bankotsu warmly, "Maybe he did, dear. Come, let me take you to the room I've set up for special guests."

Bankotsu hid a smirk. Women were so easy. He hoped her husband wouldn't come around until after he was settled. It was hard to kick a poor orphan out after he's aleady gotten a room and been settled in. He let the woman put her arm around his shoulders and lead down a narrow hallway lit by the many windows carved into its walls. They stopped before a single door, and she parted the beads so that he could see inside. In the room was a large futon with two pillows and a blanket sitting atop it, a small night table, a larger round table perched on the floor for dining, and even what looked to be a door that led into a powder room. "Does this room have its own privy?"

"Yes it does, dear, and the bath house is out back," the woman smiled.

"Thank you ma'am," Bankotsu said dutifully, giving her a bow. "How much do I owe you for tonight?"

The woman simply patted his shoulder, "Don't worry about that. Are you hungry? I was about to prepare the afternoon meal."

Bankotsu nodded his head shyly. 

"Well, after you've taken advantage of the privy and bathhouse, the food should be ready. Just come into the restaurant and I'll serve you. You and a few locals will be my only customers, so you won't have to worry about many people being there and asking you questions. People in this town can be rather nosy, myself included," she giggled. "My name is Nasuti; what is yours, young sir?"

"Bankotsu," Bankotsu said. He'd considered giving her a fake name, but thought he wanted to start making a name for himself as soon as possible and hiding behind aliases wouldn't help that.

"What an unusual name," Nasuti commented after a beat.

"My father was an unusual person." He'd told her no lie then; his father had been unusual. 

"And your mother?"

"Never knew her, she died giving birth to me." If he hadn't had her suckered in before, the woman was definitely going to be molding clay in his hands now. He saw her eyes glaze over with tears, and he automatically melted into the woman's light embrace.

"You poor baby," she tsked. She took in the state of his clothing and his long messy hair. "While you're bathing, I'm going to see if I can find something for you to wear. I didn't throw out any of my sons' old clothes when they were about your size I think, and I'll bring you a comb. You'll find towels, soaps, and robes in the bath house. I'll leave the clothes on your futon."

"Thank you, Nasuti-sama," Bankotsu bowed again.

Nasuti ruffled his hair and ambled away to cater to his needs. 

He wanted to pat himself on the back! He couldn't have pulled that off any better! He explored his new room and pushed the braided beads away from the other door in the room. He grinned when he saw that it was indeed a powder room and another door inside of it led to the outdoor privy. Excellent.

He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and grimaced. He had truly been a pitiful sight to behold for the woman. His normally immaculate raven hair was littered with leaves and twigs and the braid he wore the heavy mass in that was just shy of reaching his waist by a few inches was unraveling. His face looked a bit drawn from fatigue and his skin wa paler than usual. She had also probably assumed he was younger than 13; he certainly didn't look his age in this state. She may have guesses 10 or 11. Well, the younger she thought he was the better. He would 10 for her, if that was what she believed him to be.

He pulled his hair free of its messy braid and ran his hands through it to straighten it a bit. If he tried to wash it while it was this tangled, he'd never be able to straighten it out. Maybe he should cut it. His father had always complained that he should, but Bankotsu liked his hair too much. It got in the way and it was hard to manage, and it was going to be even harder with the new lifestyle he was about to take on, but he shrugged; he would deal with it. 

Shaking his head and letting his hair fall about his shoulders he rose to make use of the privy and then head out to the bath house.

The bath house was a large wooden structure with a heavy beaded curtain to shield bathers from peeping toms. Bankotsu had the privilege of having the hot bath all to himself. The tub turned out to be a moderate sized pool and the bath oils and soaps he selected were scented. He dove into the warm pool and took a quick swim before lathering his body up for cleansing. He washed his hair last and then floated around in the water on his back in perfect bliss. Father never would have allowed such a luxury. 

It really was nice to be rid of that old man. Those samurai had done him a favor. 

He reluctantly pulled himself from the bath, feeling a trifle light-headed, as his stomach growled angrily for lack of attention. He'd taken long enough in the bath, so he figured lunch should be ready. He chose a white robe from the folded pile on a low shelf after toweling himself off, and pulling it around his nude body. He wrapped a towel around his head, planning to comb out his locks once inside his room again and re-braid it. He stepped into the bamboo sandals he'd founded lined up just under the robes and walked out of the bath house nearly stumbling into a pretty young girl with an armload of bath soaps. 

"Oops, sorry Miss," Bankotsu helped steady the girl and was taken aback by the glare he received.

"I'm not a girl," was hissed at him, and then he was brushed aside as the boy entered the bath house. 

Bankotsu's eyes widened. Not a girl? He parted the beaded curtain to take another look at the effeminate lad that had passed him. The boy's black hair was wavy and as long as Bankotsu's with a glossy sheen to it that most people lost in infancy. It was pulled back into a low ponytail by a blue ribbon. The boy arranged the new bath soaps carefully, then went about draining the bath pool. 

So he worked here?

He let the curtain close and moved back to his room. He smiled at the pile of folded clothes that laid on his futon and the comb sitting on the night table. Perfect. He slid off the robe and tried on the clothes complete with undergarments. The light blue pants were a little long and the white shirt was a little big, but they would suffice. He tucked the shirt in neatly and tied the sash. Then slipped back on the sandals he had gotten from the bath house and unwrapped the towel from his head, releasing his hair. He looked at the comb with a sigh; this was going to be unpleasant.

He sat on the futon and began to run the comb through his tangled locks, grimacing slightly at every snare. Once he got his hair straight enough for him to be able to run the comb through it with it only catching once or twice, he went about plaiting his hair and securing the end of the braid with the small white tie he'd discarded in the powder room earlier. He gazed at his reflection again, noting the drastic improvement...though, he frowned, he now looked a little older. But, he batted his eyes at himself, it made him that much more handsome to look at. If Nasuti could be charmed by youth, she could also be charmed by beauty. That was no doubt why that other boy was working in the boarding house. How old was he? He couldn't have been much older than Bankotsu, maybe 14. If he could befriend the boy, perhaps he'd tell him where the best place to find the kind of work he was looking for outside of the village was. It'd be too suspicious to ask an adult that question.

He left the room and trekked back to the main room to enter the restaurant. As Nasuti had promised there were only two other men in the room, both sitting at different tables, eating from the steaming dishes in front of them. He sat at a table by himself as well and waited for Nasuti to appear. She did after a moment and noticed him right away. She beamed and disappeared back into the kitchen, emerging with a tray loaded with food. 

Bankotsu's stomach gave a pleased gurgle as the tray of food was set in front of him and he inhaled its pleasant aroma. "Did you have a nice bath?" Nasuti asked as he began to stuff his face. 

"Yes, ma'am," he said after swallowing a huge bite of fish and rice. He'd never tasted anything so delicious. He wasn't sure if it was truth or hunger raving about the meal though. Maybe he had better food somewhere else before, but right now he couldn't remember it. 

"Good," she smiled, then laughed at the way he was inhaling his food. "Slow down, or you'll choke. When's the last time you've eaten?"

"I'm not sure....maybe a day," Bankotsu said between bites. 

"A day? Oh my!" Nasuti gasped. "Well you eat up and if you want more, Josue should be out in a bit. Just tell him you would like seconds and he will gladly get them for you. I'll tell him to serve you whatever you want."

"Josue?" Bankotsu asked, taking a sip of the soy milk that sat beside the small tea pot in a tall cup. He hadn't acquired a taste for tea yet, he figured that would come with age, and was happy Nasuti had thought to give him milk as well.

"My 'odds and ends' day helper," Nasuti said offhandedly. "He's a local boy, you've probably run across him, looks a bit like a girl." Nasuti took the seat across from Bankotsu, in position he'd seen most of the women he'd met take when they were ready to gossip. "He lives with his father a little ways out of the city. The old man's a drunk and makes that boy do awful things to keep himself in sake. When you walk around town you'll find a lot of people who disapprove of me letting him work here, but..." Nasuti shrugged. "I pay him in meals, and I think it may be the only food he gets. I'm not letting a child go hungry."

Bankotsu smiled at the woman after wiping his mouth. He was glad he'd come here. It was just his luck to run into a bleeding heart, who'd gladly tell him any bit of information she had without misgiving. "Josue? That's not a Japanese name."

"No," Nasuti giggled. She seemed to relax a bit more, probably glad for some company. Where was her husband? Bankotsu wondered. "I think it's one of those European names. His mother came from one of those countries. She ran off though, and I don't blame her, but I wish she would have tried to take the boy with her. He doesn't fit in here."

Bankotsu blinked. The boy had looked a tad different. His eyes had less of a slant, his skin was paler, and his hair was wavy with a slight tendency to curl at the ends, and Bankotsu could also tell he was going to be very tall. 

"I've heard he likes other boys," Nasuti leaned in. "Oh, I'm sorry, dear! Here I am telling you these things like you're another person my age. You don't need to hear about such things."

"Not at all, Nasuti-sama. I'm 13, I've seen and heard much. I am not new to things such as same-sex relationships. My father was once a soldier loyal to a daimyo. He spared me nothing when he decided he was going to teach me all he knew."

Nasuti's eyes widened. "Oh...so you've been trained to fight?"

Bankotsu nodded, "I want to be a samurai, ma'am. I left my weapon at the door. It's a little big for me now..."

"That humongous sword? You carried that into town?" Nasuti covered her mouth with her hand. "My, my, you are a very strong boy. We'll have to move it inside though, dear, before someone takes it. I'll have Josue help you bring it in. You know...Josue has been trained with swords. That drunkard Aiko used to be a soldier too. That's how he came across his beautiful European wife, in fact. He took her from one of the ships. He was a pretty good sword smith back then, I believe. I don't know if he still makes swords now, but schooled Josue with the ones he'd already made, I'm guessing. Maybe you two could practice together one day. You won't have to worry about Josue...liking you or anything. He's a few years older than you. But I would like to see him with someone near his age having a little fun. I don't believe I've ever seen that child smile, not that he has any reason to."

Bankotsu's interest in the boy had escalated. Not only could he get information from him, maybe he'd find a suitable person to practice with. "Alright, Nasuti-sama. Should I ask him, or will you inform him of me?"

Nasuti patted his head, "You're such a sweet boy. I'll tell him. He's a bit...nervous...around people."

And cranky. Bankotsu remembered how the boy had brushed by him.

"He'll be along shortly. Oh my, I didn't realize I'd been sitting here talking your ear off for so long," Nasuti laughed. "You're the first decent company I've had in weeks since my husband and sons went off on tour. I'll come and check on you later on today, ok?"

"Ok." Bankotsu nodded and smirked as the woman walked away. He was really beginning to like her. He would have to do something nice for her before he left to let her know he'd appreciated her help. 

He began eating again. The food was still good cold. He gulped down the last of his soy milk and started in on the bean pies. It wasn't until he was licking the last crumb from his index finger, did he notice Josue was in the room. The tall boy was wiping the tables with a cloth. Bankotsu studied the unfriendly looks tossed in Josue's direction form the two other men in the restaurant. Josue avoided their tables, keeping his eyes to the floor. 

Bankotsu rolled his eyes at the attitudes of everyone in the room and wave a hand to get Josue's attention. The fair boy looked up with a slight start of surprise before recognition settled in on his face. He approached the table cautiously. "Would you like seconds, sir?"

Bankotsu thought about that. Did he really need more food? He was full, but he knew he could eat more, but then he'd be miserable. "No. Did Nasuti-sama tell you about me?"

Josue nodded, looking guarded. 

"How good are you with a sword?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never sparred with anyone," Josue admitted. His voice had the musical timbre of a young woman's. He imagined this boy was picked on a lot by other boys larger than him. He studied Josue's willowy frame that was teetering towards being dangerously thin. 

"Would you like to spar with me and find out just how good you are?" Bankotsu hoped he sounded friendly, because Josue looked ready to bolt at any sudden movements made toward his person. "Come on, I promise I'll go easy on you."

Josue's eyes lit up for a brief second, before they dulled again. He looked down at his feet, then back at Bankotsu and gave him a nod of compliance. "I have to finish cleaning up in here and go home to fetch a sword, but when I'm done, I can come to your room. If...that's ok?"

"It's fine!" Bankotsu said cheerfully. "In fact, why don't I help you? Nasuti-sama has done much for me today, and I must do something for her in return."

Josue shook his head, "She wouldn't like that at all. You're a guest here. I'll come to you once I'm finished. It won't be long."

"Alright."  
  


Josue hadn't lied. There was a slight knock on the wall less than an hour later, and Josue stood anxiously by the door with a long sword strapped at his waist by a belt a size too big for him. "Yo! Lets run out and get Banryuu and we can get started!"

Josue turned out to be an excellent swordsman, though he'd had his doubts about the fairness of the match when he'd seen Banryuu. He held his very well, especially since Bankotsu hadn't truly mastered the large halberd yet. They dance with their blades until near sunset. Josue was the one to bring their match to an end. He gazed at the sky fearfully, "I have to be home soon. T...thank you, for letting me fence with you today."

"Oi, can we meet again tomorrow? That was good practice for me. You're really good," Bankotsu wiped the sweat from his brow as he spoke. 

"Your halberd is impressive. Tomorrow, I'll bring a sword better able to deal with its weight," Josue promised, giving a slight bow and turning to leave.

"Ja ne, Josue. I'll see you tomorrow at the same time!"

Josue was already jogging off, but he waved a hand in parting. Bankotsu smiled; he liked Josue as much as he liked Nasuti. The boy fought well and didn't ask many questions. Bankotsu hadn't had a chance to question him yet. Tomorrow he would find out the best direction he should travel to look for work, more practice, and maybe an adventure or two.

He went back to his room to find Nasuti waiting for him with a large grin on her face. "Thank you for spending time with Josue today. I'm sure it meant a lot to him."

Bankotsu shrugged, "He's really good. His working with me meant a lot to me. We're going to meet again tomorrow."

"So you've decided to stay on?" Nasuti looked hopeful.

Bankotsu froze. He hadn't really made up his mind on how long he was planning to stay. He had initially only wanted to stay a night or two, but he was having such a good time here. The food was good and the practice was even better, but sooner or later his luck was going to run out. Nasuti would start expecting something from him in return; maybe she'd check up on his backgrounds. The townspeople would start to talk about him. He couldn't bring that sort of attention to himself; eventually someone would curious enough to ask around about him and discover who his father really was and just what Bankotsu did when he traveled with him. Townspeople didn't take too well to mercenaries, not even young ones, but still...he didn't want to leave so soon. 

"Um, for a few more days yes. My father has friends a few villages over, and I think they'll take me in. They all used to be soldiers too. I can finish my training with them and get recommended for a position."

Nasuti's face fell, "Oh. I see, dear. Well, I should have expected as much. A child like you would never find himself without a home to go to. Well, would you like some dinner after you've washed up some. It's just going to be you and me tonight."

"Sure!" Bankotsu grinned. He hadn't realized it before, but he was starting to get hungry again. "I'll help you if you like!"

"Boys do not belong in the kitchen. I know from experience..."

"What about Josue?"

"Oh, he doesn't count," Nasuti giggled. "He's... gentler. But I have many a broken dish that will tell you young boys do not belong anywhere near a kitchen while food is being prepared. You wash up and find something to amuse yourself with, and I'll come and get you when it's time." 

"Alright." The woman smiled and left. Find something to amuse himself with, huh? Another bath certainly sounded like a lot of fun. He grinned to himself as he stripped out of his sweaty clothing and into the white bathrobe he'd had on earlier. He would try a new fragrance than the one he'd used that after noon, and he would be careful not to get his hair too damp. He didn't want to have to redo it again. What a pain.

He wondered what Josue did with all of his hair? Did he wash it every night and comb it free of tangles? It appeared he did, since his hair was so neat. Maybe tomorrow he could find out what Josue did to his hair to make it easier to manage. He laughed to himself; he sure was looking forward to a day that wasn't there yet. It was something he'd never done before, and it felt wonderful.  
  
  
  
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Author's Note: Well that's it for chapter 1. I promise it gets more interesting. Thanks for reading and please feel free to leave me a review telling what you think and be honest. Take care!

  
  



	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2   
  
  
  


"Where the hell did you learn that move?" Bankotsu asked Josue as he recovered his halberd. 

"I made it up," Josue shrugged. "Sometimes you have to be creative when you fight."

Bankotsu chuckled, but made note of that. His father would have absolutely hated Josue's style of fighting because it was so wild and undisciplined, but Bankotsu was crazy about it. His every move was so unpredictable, and it made him have to fight that much harder to defeat him. Finally an opponent that caused him to have to think! 

He stabbed his halberd down into the dirt and sat by it, waiting for Josue to join him. In two days' time, Josue had become rather comfortable around Bankotsu. He no longer watched the floor when he spoke to him in public, he didn't fidget as much, and he certainly talked a lot more. Bankotsu found Josue to be a very honest and simple guy. What he saw was what he got basically. The older boy was hard working and very kind to people who were kind to him first. He had come each day after their initial sparring with two different swords in which to work with Bankotsu, helping him to sharpen his skill. He didn't ask Bankotsu why he liked to fight or why he was so insistent on Josue sparring with him; he just obliged him with what he asked. The older boy seemed to be enjoying his company. Nasuti would not be the only one who would be sad to see Bankotsu go.

Bankotsu frowned at that. Josue didn't have any friends, and the only person who was kind to him was Nasuti, but that was because she pitied him. That saddened Bankotsu deeply, because had the potential to be a great friend. If Bankotsu were staying, Josue would probably have been his best friend. All he needed was to be given a chance, but all people saw were his eccentricities. 

"I want to go to your house one day and see the rest of the swords you've got stashed away in there," Bankotsu said casually. Josue stiffened a bit, before sighing.

"My house? I don't know about that Bankotsu. My father doesn't like visitors."

"Oh," Bankotsu scowled. That was a problem. "Is he always home?"

Josue nodded. "But... I'll see what I can do one day, ok? When do you plan to leave?"

Bankotsu blinked. This was the first question Josue had ever asked him, "The day after tomorrow, I suppose. Why?"

Josue smiled. "You'll see."

Bankotsu laughed. "You're plotting something. Well, don't get yourself into trouble on the account of me, ok?"

Josue shook his head, "I... well, I don't mind. The old man will find a reason to yell at me anyway, so why not actually give him something real to be mad at for once?"

"Does he...hurt you?" Bankotsu stopped laughing as he caught his friend's eye. The older boy no longer looked amused either.

Josue shrugged. "It's nothing to worry about."

Bankotsu let it slide, since he had seen no physical bruises on his friend's body, but then he hadn't seen all of his body. Josue always wore long sleeves and pants. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Josue nodded; he gave Bankotsu a small wink before looking up at the sky. "I better get going for today. I'll bring some more fun toys for you to play with tomorrow."

Bankotsu beamed, then grabbed his friend's arm. "Could you stay for dinner? You won't be that late. I'm sure your father won't mind, if you're eating elsewhere. He can do without you for one dinner, unless you do the cooking? Do you cook?"

Josue almost laughed, "I can't cook."

"So your father cooks?"

Josue smiled sadly, "No. He doesn't cook."

"So what do you do for dinner? I never see you take anything home from here."

Josue played with a strand of his hair, "Nothing. I'm not usually hungry at this time of day anyway. Brunches here are more than enough for me."

"You only eat once a day?" Bankotsu couldn't help but exclaim. How did he live? Bankotsu couldn't imagine not eating at least two meals a day and that was torture. "No wonder why you're so bony! Do you have any idea how much stronger of a fighter you could be if you'd simply put more in your mouth?"

"I'm not a fighter, Bankotsu," Josue said simply. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Bankotsu watched Josue leave in discontent. If Josue wasn't going home to fix dinner or eat with his old man, just why did he have to be home at a certain time each evening? Maybe he was training with the old man and lessons started promptly at dusk. Either way, Bankotsu decided he was going to pay Josue a house call after dinner to see just what he was up to and to finally see inside the house full of fabulous swords. 

Josue couldn't be too mad at him once he saw him and Bankotsu got a chance to smooth-talk him. He felt certain he could even charm Josue's father. How hard could it be to ease a drunkard's mood? If he didn't listen to reason just offer to pour him more wine.   
  
  
  


He ate his dinner quickly that night and wrapped some leftovers in a napkin to go, hoping to give them to Josue. The boy wouldn't admit it, but Bankotsu knew he had to be hungry. He was probably just too embarrassed to tell Bankotsu earlier. He just managed to dodge Nasuti and get out of the boarding house that night. The woman had been looking for him to get him to try on new clothes that she'd sewn for him. He had already tried on two of the outfits and he was just plain sick of being a clothes horse. Sure he appreciated the new clothes, but ugh! 

He figured she would associated his disappearance for the night with his not wanting to model anymore outfits for her. Should he be bring Banryuu? They could practice some more with all of the swords Bankotsu was excited about finding. He did pause then, because he remembered Josue's expression from earlier that day. The boy was planning on bringing him to his house to see the weapons at a later time, when he might not get in too much trouble for it. Would he really get in trouble if Bankotsu were just to show up? How could it be Josue's fault, if Bankotsu came of his own free will and surprised him? 

Bankotsu shook off the worry; it would be fine, but decided to leave Banryuu just the same. He jogged to the edge of town and ventured just beyond it, looking for the wooden house Nasuti had described. It was supposedly the only house in the area, so it shouldn't be that hard to find. It didn't take him more than a minute to stumble upon the collection of small wooden shacks in close vicinity. 

Should he knock or simply wait for Josue to come outside to do something and catch him then?" Bankotsu wasn't sure; he hadn't really gone over his approach. He sat in the copse of trees surrounding the small shacks and decided to wait until he saw someone come out. While he waited, he began to snack on the food he'd brought along for the older boy. He wouldn't miss a few rice balls, if he didn't know he had them. 

He'd almost fallen asleep before a door creaked open and a slim, shadowy figure stepped out onto the land. The sky was dark by now, and Bankotsu could scarcely see. The figure began walking towards Bankotsu's area, and he stood quietly. As it neared and Bankotsu was able to get a better look, he frowned. It was a young woman wearing a long kimono with her hair up in some fancy style. Her lips were painted red and her eyes were shaded purple. Josue hadn't said anything about a sister or his father having a new wife... He hadn't said anything about any girls at all, in fact. Should he ask the young lady about Josue? Maybe he wasn't home; he'd probably just ditched Bankotsu to do something better with his time.

The thought of that stung. He had thought the two of them were becoming friends. He reached out to halt the woman as she drew close enough to sense his presence. She gasped audibly and jumped back, breaking the strap on one of her sandals and falling back into the soft dirt on her bottom. She sat staring up at Bankotsu in horror. "Please don't do it here! Not in the dirt! We can go in the house... My father will leave us alone, just not in the dirt! I won't do that again!"

Bankotsu blinked and took a step back; that voice... "Josue?"

The boy was covering his face as if expecting a blow. When one didn't come, he removed his arms cautiously and gazed up again. "B...Bankotsu?"

"Why are you dressed like that? What were you talking about?" Bankotsu extended a hand down to the stricken boy. Josue didn't take the hand; he continued to stare at Bankotsu.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!"

"Why are you dressed like a girl? And what are you so scared about? What don't you want to do in the dirt?" Bankotsu reached down to pull the older boy up. Josue stumbled into a standing position. 

"D...don't worry about it. Just...we need to get out of here, now!" Josue grabbed Bankotsu's arm and suddenly they were running through the woods, away from the shacks. Bankotsu was confused by the flight until he heard the voice shrieking after them furiously.

"What are you doing, you little bastard?! Who's that you're with?!"

Josue didn't slow his pace, or allow Bankotsu to slow until they were near the edge of the city. Bankotsu watched the boy who was bending over his knees trying to catch his breath for a moment, before questioning him again.

"Josue? What's going on? Why did we run, and why are you dressed like that?"

Josue slowly looked up and tried to straighten his body. His hair was starting to free itself from the up-sweep and he was starting to look a little more like himself, if it weren't for the face paint. The boy swayed a bit on his feet and Bankotsu noticed he was missing a sandal. He reached out to steady his friend. "Are you alright? Should we sit down?"

"I'm fine," Josue said crisply. "Why were you at my..home?"

"Looking for you," Bankotsu said simply. "I just wanted to know what you did when you left Nasuti-sama's. You said you don't cook dinner and you don't eat, so I was curious. I thought maybe you were practicing with the swords, and that I could join you."

"I was going to bring you tomorrow," Josue moaned. "But if he's seen you...if he thinks I have someone... Oh gods, Bankotsu. Why do you have to be so nosy?"

"Are you talking about your father? He was the one screaming after us right? Josue, if you're afraid of him, why do you stay there?" Bankotsu asked.

Josue swallowed hard and removed the one sandal he wore, glaring at it in disdain. "Where else would I go, Bankotsu?"

"Nasuti-sama would..."

"No," Josue shook his head. "She would not have me. She's going to dismiss me once her husband and sons come back, anyway. I have no where to go."

Bankotsu shook his head, then stared at Josue's choice of dress again. "Where are you going now? Why...?"

"Bankotsu, you are too young. You wouldn't understand my answer. Just go back to your room; have a bath. You'll be leaving soon, so you shouldn't trouble yourself with the likes of me. Have fun, Bankotsu; enjoy yourself. Tomorrow, we'll play some more, and you'll leave with happy thoughts of this place, and maybe you'll even think of me sometimes and it will bring a smile to your face. I want to be remembered fondly...for once. Just go away now, Bankotsu. Forget you came to the woods; forget you saw me tonight."

Bankotsu wanted to say something; he parted his lips to form the words to keep Josue at his side, but the look of pleading in the older boy's eyes made him drop it. Holding his lone sandal, Josue quickly walked away from Bankotsu into the city, and Bankotsu lost sight of him.

Now he had to know what was going on. He hurried back to the boarding house. If anyone had any information they were willing to release, it would be Nasuti.   
  
  
  
  
  
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Author's Note: Review? Pwease? Just one and I'll be happy :). 

  
  



	4. Chapter 3

Author's Note: This story is finished and I am working on the next in the arc. I want to put up one new chapter of this a week, that way I'll be nearly done with the next story by the time I'm through posting this one. Reviews can help persuade me to post chapters faster though ;). This update actually wasn't going to come until next week, but for lily23 I'm putting up the next chapter. 

Urakih: Yes, Josue is Jakotsu :) 

Well, I hope you guys like this chapter! 

Chapter 3 

"You went out there?" Nasuti asked, eyes large. "Bankotsu, that was very dangerous!" 

Bankotsu shrugged, "I didn't feel like I was in danger, but then I saw Josue. He was dressed like a woman and he went somewhere in town. When I asked him why, he wouldn't say." 

"He's a good boy; I know he is. It's that no good father of his..." 

"What is it? What does his father do to him? Why was he dressed like a woman, and why was he so scared? Josue can fight; I've seen him. He can take on an old man." 

Nasuti smiled, "Bankotsu, when you say things like that it makes me wonder again about how you were raised. Aiko is Josue's father; children shouldn't raise hands to their parents." 

"But, if he's hurting him and making him dress like that– why?" 

"Bankotsu, do you know what a brothel is?" 

Bankotsu nodded, "It's where men go to sleep with sluts. Why?" 

Nasuti winced. "Yes. Men go to these places to pay women to pleasure them, but sometimes not only women work in brothels. Sometimes there are young boys." 

Bankotsu was shaking his head, "But what does..." He trailed off, his eyes widening. "Josue works in a brothel?" 

Nasuti nodded. "No one will hire him, because of what he is and who his father is. The boy supports his father and himself." 

"But doesn't he work here? You give him food. Why can't you give him money too?" 

"That would mean I'd have to officially hire him. I cannot do that, Bankotsu. As much as I want to, I have to think of what my husband will say when he returns home. He will already be displeased with me for letting him help out what little he has. The men in town don't take kindly to Josue." 

"But don't they go into the brothel to..." 

"Only behind closed doors will they admit their desires for that boy. He is the only one in town who is not afraid to be what he is, and he shames the ones who will not come out," Nasuti said with a sigh. 

"Why doesn't he just leave then?" 

"Where would he go, dear? He has no other family that he knows of but his father; there's no one willing to take him in, nothing. And most of all, he'll never have acceptance. Everywhere he goes he'll be unwanted; at least here, he can be ignored because everyone's used to his queerness." 

Bankotsu scowled, "He can just runaway, live off the land. If people won't accept him, then why should he live with them?" 

Nasuti smiled at him, "You're a brave soul, Bankotsu. Not many people can speak as firmly as you; not everyone is as strong. People like you go far; you conquer continents and move mountains. People like Josue, people like me, we're not like you. We wouldn't survive in your world, my boy." 

Bankotsu frowned at that. In his world? Did this woman think he resided on a different plane of existence than she did? He was no greater than anyone; he just knew what he wanted, and right then, he wanted to help Josue. 

When Bankotsu left town he was going to go on and be a fighter. He was going to kill and have adventures, but he didn't really plan on traveling alone the entire time. Adventures were more fun when there was someone to share it with. Why couldn't that person be Josue? His skill with a sword was admirable; his accuracy was perfection. Bankotsu knew then that he wanted the older boy to come along with him. He would save Josue and in return, gain a friend, an ally. How fun. 

"Would you like a snack before bed?" Nasuti asked him. He nearly jumped; he'd forgotten she was still there. 

"No thank you Nasuti-sama," Bankotsu shook his head. The woman ran her fingers through his bangs. 

"It's hard to believe you'll be leaving after tomorrow. What am I going to do with myself? There will be no one to talk to or fawn over." 

"Maybe you and your husband should think about having another kid?" 

Nasuti gave a very unladylike snort, "Well, aren't you blunt?" 

Bankotsu grinned cheekily, and she ruffled his hair again and fingered his braid. "My boys would never let their hair get so long. What are you going to do with all this as a solider? Won't they make you cut it?" 

Bankotsu laughed, "I'm never going to cut my hair, and I'll threaten to leave the army if they try to make me, and by then I'll be so good they'll beg me to stay." 

Nasuti chuckled with him, "My you do dream big and that is wonderful. I see you being a great leader of men, Bankotsu." 

"Eh, I just want to fight," Bankotsu disclosed to her, "but if they want to make me a captain or something, I won't turn it down." 

"Boys and violence..." Nasuti shook her head. "Well, goodnight, Bankotsu. Will you play with Josue again tomorrow?" 

Bankotsu nodded. "If he'll play with me. I really scared him tonight, when he saw me." 

"He didn't want you to know," Nasuti said softly. "It would probably be best if you didn't bring it up with him again." 

"Ok," Bankotsu agreed aloud. He smiled as the woman blew out his candle, encompassing the room in darkness, and he shut his eyes. 

Josue was waiting for him after breakfast with two new swords. He was hesitant to meet Bankotsu's gaze at first. He seemed nervous. 

"Yo!" Bankotsu greeted him cheerily. He approached the other boy and smiled, "Do you want to do something else today? We can go swimming? The water in the stream a few miles that way is warm enough." 

Josue blinked in surprise, "Yo Bankotsu. You...you want to leave town? With me?" 

"Just for a few hours," Bankotsu shrugged. "We'll be back before you have to go. We can bring Banryuu and the swords and find a place to spar near the water hole, even! It'll be fun." 

Josue studied Bankotsu's face, as if trying to discern if he was joking or not. "Bankotsu, about last night..." 

"Josue, I don't care what you do at night or what kind of people you're attracted to. You're a nice guy, I know that, and that's all that matters to me. It should be all that matters to everyone else too." 

Bankotsu took the other boy's arm gently. "Now lets get Banryuu and go swimming." 

"I..." Josue was stuttering as Bankotsu was dragging him along. "Bankotsu, I can't swim!" 

Bankotsu halted in his tracks and Josue's body slammed into his shorter one. "You can't...." He whirled to face the older boy, staring him directly in the eyes. Was he lying? Josue's face was innocent of all things that would give away deception. 

"I've never gone into the water past my knees..." he trailed off. "I can't swim." 

Bankotsu made a face and grabbed Josue's arm again and continued on his trek to retrieve Banryuu. "I'll have to teach you then." 

"But..." 

"No buts, we're going, and that's that. Oi, how about a lunch to take with us too, huh? This is gonna be great." 

Bankotsu clutched his side as he laughed so hard it hurt. Josue was sputtering and trying ineffectively to glare at him while flinging water from his eyes. 

"You're never gonna learn if you're too afraid of putting your head underwater! I was just helping you get past that," Bankotsu treaded away as Josue splashed the place he had previously been wading. 

Bankotsu and Josue had found the water hole after 30 minutes of traveling, and Bankotsu had been trying to teach Josue to swim for about an hour. The taller boy had to be pushed into water up to his waist and dunked to get his face beneath it. 

"Isn't there a way to swim without putting your face in the water?" Josue whined, taking a cautious step out towards Bankotsu who was treading in deeper water. It probably looked as if the shorter boy were standing... 

"Josue, no!" 

Bankotsu giggled as Josue slipped underwater, his eyes going wide in shock. He barely had time to yell. Then the boy bobbed back to the surface splashing and sinking again. Bankotsu shook his head and swam to the boy, wrapping an arm just under Josue's armpits and pulling back to bring Josue's head up to the surface. 

"I got ya. Calm down, it's ok," Bankotsu laughed as the other boy choked, gasped and clung to him. He was actually shaking, and when Bankotsu realized he wasn't calming down, he decided it was time to get out of the water. 

"I'm gonna get us back to shore, ok?" Bankotsu told Josue, readjusting his hold and giving a kick to propel him backwards through the water while supporting his friend. Once they were about waist deep in the water, Josue shrugged off Bankotsu's assistance and trudged back to shore on his own. He located his clothes immediately and was about to pull them back on. 

"Oi! You're going to get your clothes all wet!" Bankotsu shouted after him, running onto the grassy banks. "You gotta let yourself dry off some." 

Josue dropped his clothes as if they were hot coals and sat down in the grass beside them in his damp undergarments, hugging his knees while resting his head on them. 

Bankotsu frowned and sat down beside him. "Are you ok? You didn't swallow that much water." 

Josue didn't answer for a moment and Bankotsu began to feel guilty for pushing him to learn to swim. "I'm really sorry. I should have been paying more attention. I didn't think you were going to step out after me. Really, Josue, I wouldn't have let you drown; you were in no danger. Josue?" 

"Mama tried to drown me once," Josue whispered. 

Bankotsu's head jerked to the older boy as he gasped in shock. "J..." 

"She brought me out to the center of a pond. She was holding me and then she wasn't. She just watched and watched... until Papa came to save me. Then, she left. Papa said it wasn't my fault. She was a bad woman. All women are like that, bad." 

Bankotsu was still reeling over the self disclosure and was barely able to catch the last line Josue had said. "All women can't be bad. What about Nasuti?" 

"She's using me. Instead of wages, I get leftovers from the meals she cooks for customers. When her husband returns, she'll shun me. Women are only decent when they need something." 

"But..." Bankotsu bit his lip. Didn't Josue dress like a woman? If he didn't like them, why did he become one at night? 

"I'm sorry," Josue was suddenly saying, shaking his head and trying to smile. "I didn't mean to bring down the mood. I... hey, let's test out the new swords I brought. I want to show you the grip on one of them." 

Bankotsu blinked, wanting to tell Josue it was ok and if he still wanted to talk he could, but it was obvious Josue wanted to change the subject. The older boy stood and Bankotsu studied his malnourished frame. His bare skin was pale and free of blemishes. Bankotsu had been certain the boy was abused, but his body showed no signs of it. 

"Ok," Bankotsu jumped up. He jogged over to where Josue was leaning over the weapons. 

"Bankotsu, how about using a regular sword today instead of Banryuu. I've never seen your other skills," Josue said, lifting a long sword and studying its thin blade. 

Bankotsu grinned slyly, "You'll find them more than formidable. I'm just learning with Banryuu. No one wants to dance with me and a sword, not even my father had been so brave." 

Josue laughed, "You talk big; let's see if you can back it up." 

"Hope I don't embarrass you too much," Bankotsu said cheekily. "Lets go." 

They sparred and broke for a late lunch an hour before sunset. Josue would need to return home. Bankotsu stuffed an entire rice ball into his mouth and concentrated on not choking while watching Josue nibble at his. His friend ate so little. "Josue, if you're not hungry now, you can take it back with you." 

Josue grimaced and shook his head. "I can't eat after dark." 

"Why not?" 

"Not allowed to. You gain weight when you eat after the sun sets," Josue informed him. He set the half eaten rice ball down. 

"Gain weight? Who told you that? And are you saying you're not eating because you don't want to gain weight?" Bankotsu was so confused. 

"Papa...." 

"Oh. But you're so skinny," Bankotsu commented. "If what your Papa says is true, then you should take the food home to eat after dark." 

Josue shook his head, "Papa likes my size." 

Bankotsu frowned at the oddity of that statement. "Um...ok." 

Josue grinned at him suddenly. "You're leaving tomorrow right?" 

"Tomorrow night," Bankotsu said. That reminded him, he wanted to ask Josue to come along. 

Josue toyed with the rice a bit before speaking again. "You remember how to get to my house?" 

"Yeah..." 

"Meet me there tomorrow; I can get you in to see Papa's swords. There's one in particular I've been saving to show you when you could finally come over." 

Bankotsu's eyes brightened. Josue had a special sword? He beamed. "Ok!" 

"Great," Josue said. "I have to be getting back soon. I can walk back into town alone, if you want to stay longer, Bankotsu." 

Bankotsu shook his head. "I'll walk back in with you. Nasuti will worry. She's temporarily adopted me, and besides, someone might try to jump a bony guy like yourself. You need someone to protect you." 

Josue gave a bark of a laugh. "And you're that someone?" 

"Yeah," Bankotsu nodded. 

Josue snorted. "Maybe when you get a little taller, _kid_." 

Bankotsu narrowed his eyes. He kept forgetting Josue was three years older than he was. "Whatever. Come on. Lets get our clothes back on, so we can go." 

Bankotsu returned to the boarding house alone, slightly damp, and happy. He propped Banryuu up on the wall beside his bed and went to put on some dryer clothes, when Nasuti knocked. 

"I'm decent," Bankotsu told her and she stepped inside. 

The woman's dark almond shaped eyes were sad, but she smiled at him nonetheless. "I've started packing some things for your trip. You didn't come into town with anything but the clothes on your back and your sword." 

"Nasuti-sama, you don't have to..." Bankotsu began, but she cut him off. 

"Now I've packed some food that should last for a bit, some warm clothes, soap, some combs, a blanket, and.... my husband has an older horse that he rarely uses. She won't last long, but she'll get you a few weeks down the road, until you get to where you're going." 

Bankotsu blinked and blinked again, an odd stinging sensation behind his eyes. "I can't...repay you." 

"I don't want you to," Nasuti smiled. "You just being here and spending time with me has been payment enough. You gave me someone to take care of and I enjoyed that." 

Bankotsu nodded. She had told him this before, but now it was finally setting in. His presence had really made a difference in this woman's life. Now that he thought about it, he never really saw the woman socializing with many people from town. Most of the time she was cleaning or with him. What would she do? 

"I'm sorry I have to go." 

"You don't have to, dear. All you have to do is say you want to stay..." 

Bankotsu was shaking his head, "I can't." He should have left sooner, before he'd grown attached or anyone had grown attached to him. But alas, he couldn't take his time spent there back now. 

"Ok," Nasuti sighed. "Well...dinner will be ready in a bit. Come into the parlor when you're hungry." 

"Alright." 

He sighed and sat on the futon thinking about all the things he would have to do... Tomorrow. 

Author's Note: That's it for now. How was it? Good? Bad? Let me know. I have the next chaper ready to go, if you want it...please review :) 


	5. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I really didn't think I was going to get any at all lol. Thank you lily23, who always makes sure to review twice and to Urakih who reviews every chapter :). Also, thank you to Cattico :). I hope you enjoy this chapter :).

* * *

Chapter 4

He hadn't seen Josue all morning. He hoped their afternoon plans weren't cancelled. After lunch, he artfully avoided Nasuti, who was moping so much it was bringing him down, and made his way into the woods with Banryuu. Josue was sitting in the grass in front of the three shacks that made up his home when Bankotsu arrived. The boy smiled and waved.

Bankotsu jogged up to him, stabbing Banryuu down into the grass. "I didn't know if you had cancelled or not. You weren't at work today."

Josue's smile faded momentarily at that. "Oh... that. Um, Papa doesn't think it's such a good idea for me to work in town during the day anymore. He wants me at home."

"Oh," Bankotsu tried to read the expression in his friend's dark eyes. Something told him more time at home for Josue wasn't a good thing.

Josue quickly lost his troubled look and donned a smile once more, "Come, I want to show you my sword."

"The special one?"

"Yeah... and it has a name that I think you'll like. When you first told me what your name was I almost laughed."

"Why?" Bankotsu followed the boy as he led him on the dirt trail to the third shack and opened the door. He paused as Josue lit a few candles to illuminate the small room. The smell of rotted wood and mildew was heavy in the air, and Bankotsu sneezed a few times. "Josue?"

The lean figure had disappeared through a thin veil of beads. Bankotsu started after the boy, but paused as his eyes began to take notice of all the glistening silver swords mounted on the walls or resting on sandy tabletops gathering dust. He ran his hands over the fancy pommel of one curved blade, relishing the slick feel of the grip. There were short knives and daggers and even small metal weapons in the shape of stars. There was a soft clinking noise and suddenly, Josue was at his side, holding something behind his back.

"Lets go and get Banryuu," Josue said with a little smirk.

"What's behind your back?"

"My sword."

"Can I see?"

"Once we get outside. I want you to see my baby in better lighting."

"Your baby?" Bankotsu couldn't help but grin. Now Josue was starting to sound a bit like him when it came to Banryuu. "I can't wait to see this. So I finally get to fight you while you're using your sword of specialty."

He followed Josue out of the shack anxious to see the concealed weapon. The pure milky blade of the long sword caught the sun's light and let it pour down its shiny facets. Josue handled the blade with ease turning his wrist this way and that so that Bankotsu could admire the wicked curve of the blade and the beauty of its craftsmanship, even the pommel was gorgeous and shone as if it had recently been polished.

"What's its name?"

"Jakotsutou."

Bankotsu blinked. "Snake bone? Why?"

"You'll see," Josue gave a curious smile, then titled his head at Bankotsu. "Your name means barbaric bone. Why did your parents name you that?"

Bankotsu smiled, showing all of his teeth. "Because I like to fight and they knew it since the day I was born."

"Then you are destined to be a samurai then."

Bankotsu made a face, "No. Not a samurai... they're too... blah. Maybe a ninja."

Josue chuckled, "You, a ninja? You make too much noise, and you're too flashy."

Bankotsu snorted, then plucked Banryuu from the dirt. "Alright Josue, lets see what that Jakotsutou of yours can do."

* * *

Bankotsu yelped as one Jakotsutou's multiple blades crept around Banryuu and nicked him. Bankotsu blinked as he dodged and fell back in retreat. Josue was a different opponent when he fought with the snake blade. His dark eyes seemed to gleam with excitement and sometimes Bankotsu felt the other boy may not have even been aware of whom he was fighting. It was the first time he realized Josue really liked to fight...just like he did, and he was excellent, of course... but not more so than Bankotsu. He needed to end this before Josue landed anymore cuts.

Josue seemed to like to attack from a distance or at angles with Jakotsutou; Bankotsu wondered how he would appreciate a direct frontal assault. Without a second's hesitation, Bankotsu threw his entire body into a charge, using Banryuu as a shield until the last possible moment. He heard Josue's gasp of surprise as his target veered away from his blade and was now moving rapidly toward him. Bankotsu felt the heavy blows of Jakotsutou striking Banryuu and saw the sparks of friction, but that didn't discourage him. Josue had to dive out of the way to avoid Bankotsu and when he did, he lost his footing, and Bankotsu pinned him, holding Banryuu over his throat.

Breathing hard, he smiled down at a sweaty Josue who was laughing gleefully beneath his large sword. Honestly one would think he would take more care beneath such a sharp and massive weapon. One wrong flinch and his head would be separated from his neck, but the boy seemed to take no notice of his precarious position.

"Do you yield?"

"I could kill you, you know?" Josue said, instead of answering his question. His left hand squeezed the handle of Jakotsutou. "All it would take is one flick of my wrist."

Bankotsu blinked at Josue's playful tone. "I'd kill you first."

"True, and we'd be dead together, each thinking that we'd won." Josue smirked, then sighed lightly. "Oh alright, I yield."

Bankotsu removed Banryuu and offered a hand down to his friend. Josue took it and pulled himself up. When he pulled his hand away he frowned into his palm and then looked at Bankotsu. "I cut you."

Bankotsu blinked, looking at his hand which. Blood from a cut near his elbow had dribbled down onto it. He hadn't noticed, but now that he did, the cut began to sting. "You cut me more than once, Josue. You turn mean when you use that thing."

Josue frowned. "I've never had a human opponent to fight against with Jakotsutou. I've just had wood-dummies and even a minor demon once. Fighting with a live person was...fun. I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Bankotsu laughed, "It was fun. You've been holding out on me, Josue! I had no idea you were that good, and your sword... Hey, think you can teach me to use it?"

A look came into Josue's eyes that was positively possessive. "You want to use Jakotsutou?"

"Um...you can use Banryuu."

Josue was quiet as he gazed at the shiny handle of his sword. Bankotsu didn't press the matter; he leaned back on Banryuu and studied the thick copse of trees just beyond the clearing behind Josue's home that they had practiced in. The sun was high overhead and bore down on the both of them heavily, causing them to sweat even before they'd started moving. A few birds chirped in the trees and there was the occasional rattling of leaves when a small animal happened through.

Bankotsu glanced back at Josue, who was biting his lower lip as he came to a decision. "Wipe your hand off, and I'll show you. You won't be able to master it in one session though; it takes time."

Bankotsu grinned and laid Banryuu gently down in the long grass. He wiped his bloody hand on his pants, and on second thought, ripped the bottom of his shirt to wrap up the bleeding wound above his elbow so no more would spill. Carefully he reached out to take the hilt of Jakotsutou from Josue. The boy's fingers were hesitant to let go. Once the snake blade was in Bankotsu's possession the odd fire in his eyes disappeared.

"Loosen your arm; your muscles cannot be tense. Now just practice turning your wrist, holding the sword. Careful..."

Bankotsu turned his wrist slowly, saddened when the multiple blades didn't free themselves. "How do you make the other blades come out?"

"You're not ready for that yet," Josue said swiftly. "The blades bite those who do not know how to use them."

Bankotsu bristled. "So show me how! How long did it take you to learn?"

"Months; it was a year before I could go through a routine without nearly slicing myself up.

Bankotsu blinked; he had no desire to be sliced up by his own hand. "Ok, so we just work on rotating my wrist. Is this good?"

Josue gave a soft smile, not gazing at his handling of the sword at all. "It's good."

"You're not looking!" Bankotsu complained, trying to get Josue's attention.

Josue blinked and finally did gaze down at Bankotsu's grip on Jakotsutou. His slim fingers skillfully repositioned Bankotsu's thicker ones on the hilt. "There... Memorize that feeling, because that is how you have to hold it or you'll kill yourself."

Bankotsu cringed a bit. He didn't know if he liked a weapon so deadly it could kill the one handling it easier than an enemy could. "Doesn't this hurt your wrist?"

"You have to change hands ever-so-often," Josue smiled. "You get used to it. Besides, it's not like you ever have to use Jakotsutou long. A few swipes and any potential enemy is dead."

"Sugoi," Bankotsu murmured. He turned the sword over a few times in his hand and switched arms to try it out again. Once again, Josue had to readjust his grip.

They worked for another hour; Josue schooling Bankotsu on stances and footwork while holding the sword at ready. After working with Banryuu, Bankotsu was use to lugging around the heavy weight of a sword, but with both hands. Jakotsutou was no where near as heavy as Banryuu, but it was still a little too much weight to hold in one hand. Josue had strong arm muscles, and Bankotsu was tempted to roll up his sleeves to get a better look at them. His arms were as skinny as the rest of his body; Bankotsu had noticed the day before, but he hadn't been paying attention to the lean, flat muscles of his frame when he flexed them in their sparring matches.

Bankotsu finally surrendered Jakotsutou, his arms groaning in exhaustion. Lifting Banryuu again and carrying it back to town was going to be a pain. Josue laid Jakotsutou down in the grass beside Banryuu and he and Bankotsu sprawled down themselves in the grass, staring up at the sunny blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.

Bankotsu flopped onto his back and tucked his arms behind his bed, glancing up from his lying down position to study Josue's fine profile. Today was his last day and he still hadn't asked Josue the question. Was he nervous that his friend would say 'no?'

Perhaps.

Or maybe he just kept putting it off, because it would turn his departure into a reality. He kind of didn't want to leave. He sighed heavily and shut his eyes. Poor Nasuti would be so lonely. Poor Josue...

He opened his eyes again to find Josue in the same position he had been before, sitting up with his knees tucked under his skin, head slightly tilted toward the sky. His glossy black hair hung in waves down his back, tamed only by a simple white hair tie. Slowly Bankotsu sat up and placed a gentle hand on Josue's bony shoulder. He didn't speak until Josue turned his head to face him. Bankotsu stared into eyes that turned out to be gray up close and smiled sincerely. "Josue, I'm leaving tonight."

"I know," Josue said after a beat, letting his eyelids droop for a moment, his long lashes brushing his pale cheeks briefly.

"I have no real destination. I'm just going to wander and train and fight. I'm going to look for adventure and danger. I can't really offer anything, but... I'd really like it, if you'd come with me."

Josue's eyes flew open wide; he looked like a surprised young child. He gave a few false starts before replying, "Bankotsu.... I.... Why? I mean, you saw... and... Why?"

Bankotsu actually laughed at that. "Why? Why not? My father couldn't handle a sword as well as you do, and you're fun! I really like you Jos. I couldn't think of anyone better to travel with. I really don't want to go on alone. Please say you'll come. I'll look after you and everything."

Josue cocked his head to one side, biting his lower lip in deep thought. "You'll...look after me?"

Bankotsu nodded, his face serious.

"Do you feel I need looking after?"

Bankotsu frowned. Was Josue insulted? "I...don't think you're weak or anything; I just.... Nasuti-sama told me about you, and how you're treated by everyone in town. I won't let anyone do that to you anymore. I won't let _you_ let them. Come, we can make all new names for ourselves- together. It'll be great! What do you have to lose?"

Bankotsu tossed a glance over his shoulder in the direction of the shabby shacks Josue dwelled in. Josue followed his look with a sigh.

"Papa would be furious."

"So?" Bankotsu said flatly. "Do you really like living here with him? Doesn't he make you... do things that you wouldn't really want to do if you had a choice? I wouldn't make you do anything like that."

Josue flinched. "He...He's not well. He cares for me; he does. When I was little...he used to teach me swords and tell me stories. He cries a lot and he stares off into space for hours. Sometimes he eats, sometimes he won't, and he drinks all the time. The only thing good in his life is me. I bring him food, I bring in money, and I take care of him."

Bankotsu narrowed his eyes at his friend. The words were just right; he sounded like the perfect caring son, but his eyes as he spoke: they shone with fear not love. "You're afraid of him."

Josue shuddered.

"What does he do to you?"

"Love me," Josue answered softly, after a breath. He bowed his head, letting dark hair fall into his eyes. "No one else does or will."

"No one else knows you..."

"No one else will take the chance to know me."

"I will!" Bankotsu said firmly and gave Josue's shoulder a squeeze. He sighed and stood, stretching. "I have to go and get some more things in order for when I leave tonight, but...please think about this, ok? I won't leave until the town is asleep and there is no more activity on the streets. If you decide to join me, just come to the boarding house and bring what you can carry on your back."

Josue was slow to respond. He stared up at Bankotsu before nodding solemnly. "I will think about it, and I will tell you when I come to you tonight. Even if I don't choose to leave with you, I want to say goodbye. You're the only friend I've ever had... that is...if you don't mind me calling you a 'friend.'"

Bankotsu grinned. "Friend is good for me. I wouldn't invite someone who wasn't one to travel with me."

Josue smiled then, genuinely. "Promise not to leave until I arrive tonight."

Bankotsu's grin widened. "I promise, but don't have me waiting all night!"

He left with the sound of Josue's airy laughter at his back.

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Author's Note: So what's the verdict? Like it? Hate it? Let me know ;) I have the next chapter already written and ready t post, if I get some reviews ;). Take care! 


	6. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Hello, it's me! I'm so sorry for the wait. I wanted to have an update for another story ready at the same time as this one, and that update took longer than I thought it would to complete. I hope you guys like this chapter, though it has some very graphic and sensitive material in it.  
  
Lily23: Thank you for reviewing every chapter and always coaxing me to update (more than once usually, lol).  
  
Urakih: You'll have to let me see the AMV, lol. It's cool to know something I wrote inspired one :)  
  
Cattico: Your feeling about getting Jakotsu/Josue out of the house won't be easy is right... (dumb, dumb, dumb.... scary music).  
  
MageofDarkness: I'm glad you decided to read it, and even happier to know that you like it :). I think Rumiko killed the Shichinin-tai off too soon too :(. Jakotsu is one of my favorite characters.  
  
Ok, now before we go into this chapter I have to do this for the people who may have just skimmed the author's notes above.  
  
_**Warning: This chapter contains graphic material pertaining to male on male rape and extreme violence. If any of these subjects offend you, please refrain from reading this chapter.  
**_

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Chapter 5  
  
Nasuti had gone all out for his last meal. He wanted to laugh at the handful of customers that had looked on jealously at the meal he was being served. It had seven courses. He had never had a meal so grand in his life and he enjoyed every morsel of it. Then he took a long bath, letting the hot water soak into every pore, and he washed his hair with great care and delicacy. He didn't know when he would have the chance to get a bath like this next, so he was going to live it up while he could. He shone Banryuu while he sat in his room, passing time.  
Nasuti had brought the little fat horse out for him to inspect earlier that evening and he had strapped his supplies to it. All he needed now was for Josue to show up. Nasuti has already said her teary goodbye and had gone to bed for the evening, claiming she wasn't feeling well.  
Bankotsu had kissed her cheek and thanked her for taking care of him. If he'd ever had a mother, he would have wanted her to be like her. Nasuti hadn't handled that compliment well, and she had all but run away from him to her rooms. Poor lady.  
He sighed and sheathed Banryuu in the large purple cover Nasuti had sewn for him. She had even attached a strap so he could sling it across his back or strap it to the horse. He shook his head, thinking about the old horse again. That thing wouldn't live through three cities, but by then, he'd have secured another if he needed one. He laid back on the futon going back over the supplies he'd packed in his head. Food, a blanket, a carrying skin for water, soap, a towel, a comb, clean white coth to tear for bandages, a... whatever. He had everything he needed. He closed his eyes. He would take a short nap, and when he woke, if Josue still hadn't come....he sighed.  
Hurry up, friend.  
He dropped off to sleep after a few minutes of worrying and was only awakened again at the sound of someone knocking at the door, the outside door that led to his private privy. It had to be Josue, finally. What had he decided to do?  
Bankotsu felt a strange fluttering in his stomach as he hurried through the powder, lit only but a single candle, to open the back door. "Josue! Josue?"  
A tall figure stood cloaked in darkness.  
"Bankotsu. Good, you're still here. I thought...that...I took too long."  
Bankotsu frowned at the clumsy way the other boy was stammering. Took too long? How long had he been asleep? He reached out to take Josue's arm and pull him inside. The older boy stumbled up the step that led into the powder room and nearly fell forward into Bankotsu's chest. "Josue, what's.... oh gods!"  
He pulled his hand back at feeling the wet stickiness of blood on his palm. In the candlelight, Bankotsu saw that his friend was once again in his woman costume, but his long hair was freed of its bind and spilled haphazardously around his thin body like a delicate shield of fierce curls and waves. Blood stained the long sleeves and skirts of the silk kimono he wore, and his usually pale skin was completely void of color. Eye make up ran down his cheeks and the red paint was smeared across his lips...lips that looked fuller and swollen. "What happened? Come on; come inside." Bankotsu took him more gently by the hands and led him into his room, sitting him down on his futon. A fine tremor ran throughout his friend's body, and Bankotsu unfolded the blanket at the foot of his futon to drape over Josue's shaking shoulders.  
What to do? Find out how hurt he was... Bankotsu reached for one of the bloody sleeves to roll it up, but Josue flinched away from him.  
"D...don't touch..."  
"Sorry," Bankotsu said quickly, taking his hands away and putting them out in front of him so Josue could see where they were. "What happened? You have to let me see where you're hurt so I can help you."  
Josue's gray eyes were glassy and slow to focus. A dazed half smile came to his lips. "I...I decided. If you'll...you'll have me... I wanna go...with you. It's ok?"  
"Of course it's ok, but first I have to make sure you're ok! Now...what happened? Why are you covered in blood?"  
Bankotsu was starting to get the feeling that all of the blood coating his friend's clothing wasn't his. "I was bad.... I was... Papa tried to... and he had friends....and they....oh gods... Oh gods, what have I done?" Josue's head dropped into his bloody hands as he began to weep.  
Bankotsu knew something horrible had happened to his friend, and he had to calm him down so he could tell him about it. "Josue....Josue, how about we wash the blood off your hands, ok? Let me help you wash off, and then we can talk. Whatever it is; it can't be that bad."  
"I killed them," Josue was uttering. "I killed them all. Bankotsu..." He raised his head suddenly, staring at Bankotsu, his eyes full of pain. "I killed my Papa and his friends. I used Jakotsutou to cut them to pieces, and their blood got all over me. I would have washed it off...but I was so late. I thought you would be gone."  
Bankotsu blinked; Josue's voice was so shaky and light. He spoke like someone coming out of a trance. "You killed your father? Why? He did something to you; I know he did. Did he and his friends hurt you?"  
Josue's breath was starting to hitch in his throat and he pulled the blanket tighter around himself. "I....I never killed anything before. The blood splashed everywhere...and they screamed. They called me a demon cause I was laughing while I did it. I liked it. I tasted the blood; I liked it so much. I killed my own Papa and laughed... What am I?"  
"Josue, please calm down. You're scaring me. Lets wash you up, ok?"  
"I was gonna say 'yes'... I knew I was gonna tell you 'yes' before.... but I wanted Papa to have money before I left. I was gonna go out tonight. I dressed up and then I heard voices. Papa had people over... I don't like the people he invites over, because they like to do things the men from town won't. They... they held me down....and they.... And I told them to stop; they hurt me! They were hurting me! Then Papa... oh gods, Papa... no!"  
Bankotsu felt ill. Josue had been raped by a group of men in his own home and then raped by his own father!  
"They ripped my clothes, and pulled my hair, and touched me everywhere, and they...they... I felt something tear, and there was so much blood... One kept putting his tongue in my ear..." Josue rubbed at his ears violently, coating them with blood. His pale face was now smeared with blood and tears. "And when they stopped... when they left to go drink... they just left me there, lying on the floor, bleeding. I... I got up and I went to get Jakotsutou. It hurt to walk... but... I never wanted to...hurt anything.... that bad before. I killed them all before they even knew I had left the house, and even after they were all dead, I kept cutting and cutting. They had to hurt! I had to hear their flesh tear! They died too fast! They didn't hurt like I did!" He collapsed onto his side, weeping heavily.  
Bankotsu wanted to touch him, but knew he'd react poorly to it. "Josue...Josue it's ok." He stood fuming, watching his friend having a breakdown, totally helpless. If Josue hadn't already killed the bastards, Bankotsu would have done it.  
"I can't stay here anymore... I can't do it. If you don't take me, I'll kill myself."  
"Josue, I want you with me!" Bankotsu all but shouted at the other boy. He wasn't hearing him. "Please, please look at me. Let me see where they hurt you, and let me clean you up. We'll leave when I'm sure you're ok."  
Now was not the time for anger; now was a time for tenderness...and since Bankotsu knew nothing of tenderness-- he was a boy after all-- he decided to go get Nasuti.  
"Josue, I'll be right back. Please don't move."  
He got a muffled sniffle as a reply and he took that for an affirmative. Bankotsu ran down the narrow hall to the end where Nasuti's quarters could be found. He knocked on the door and called her name desperately. The woman came to the door, her eyes pink and puffy and her hair a tousled mess. "Bankotsu? What are you still doing here? What's wrong?"  
"It's Josue. His father and some of his friends...hurt...him, and he needs help. Please?" Bankotsu was already grabbing her by the arm and pulling her down the hall.  
The woman barely had time to squeak in surprise before her bare feet were padding down the wooden hallway. He burst through the beaded door, bringing Nasuti with him.  
"I'm back.; I brought Nasuti," Bankotsu approached the futon again. Josue still laid there in a quivering heap, hiccuping softly.  
"What happened, Bankotsu. There's so much blood," Nasuti whispered. The blood from Josue's clothing had soaked through onto the blanket.  
"He was assaulted by a bunch of people...even his father," Bankotsu said softly. "He's delirious or something. He won't let me touch him and he needs to be washed. There's blood all over him."  
Nasuti gasped. "That bastard. That drunken bastard. His own son... but... oh, you poor boy. You never had a chance, did you?"  
Bankotsu knew she wasn't just talking about that night. Josue's entire life had undoubtably been a nightmare. "He's coming with me," Bankotsu said. "I asked him this afternoon."  
Nasuti looked up in surprise.  
"Help me clean him up?"  
"Of course," Nasuti nodded. "Um... how do we go about this? Is he...lucid?"  
Bankotsu frowned at the word. "Lucid?"  
"Aware– Does he know where he is?"  
Bankotsu nodded. "Josue? We want to take you to the bath house. I'm going to help you sit up, so don't be scared."  
Bankotsu reached for the other boy and was encouraged when he didn't flinch away. Carefully he sat him up, supporting his weight on his chest. Nasuti gasped at the blood on his face. "All of this blood... is it all his?"  
Bankotsu didn't answer that. "Help me stand him up."  
Together Bankotsu and Nasuti got Josue into an unsteady standing position, balancing him on both of their shoulders, ignoring the disgusting feeling of drying blood on their skin, staining their clean clothes.  
They trudged to the bathroom, practically carrying Josue between them. The boy seemed to weight next to nothing. In the bath house, they sat him down on the floor and went about undressing him. Josue allowed them to take the blanket, but when Nasuti reached to untie his kimono he shrieked.  
"Josue, honey, please. We have to see where you're hurt. Bankotsu and I are not going to hurt you. Let us take care of you," Nasuti purred soothingly, reaching out to smooth the boy's hair, but he kicked out at her and scooted away, eyes wild.  
"Don't touch me! Don't touch me!"  
Bankotsu shook his head, "He keeps lapsing in and out. Sometimes he knows where he is and who I am...and then sometimes he thinks he's there. What do we do?"  
Nasuti shook her head. "Bankotsu, you talk to him again. He might let you get closer."  
Bankotsu frowned but nodded. He knelt before Josue. "Josue? Look at me. Who am I?"  
Josue's dilated gray eyes focused on Bankotsu. "Bankotsu...." His fine brows burrowed together in confusion. "Did you forget who you are?"  
Bankotsu almost chuckled. "No, but I though you had. Josue, do you think I would hurt you, or bring someone near you who would hurt you?"  
Josue shook his head slowly.  
"You're not acting like you know that. I want to help you, and I've brought Nasuti who also wants to help you. Now, let us..."  
Josue shook his head. "No one's taking off my clothes."  
Bankotsu let out a frustrated sigh. "Well then...how..."  
"Josue," Nasuti spoke from behind Bankotsu. "Will you take off your own kimono then?"  
After a second's thought, Josue nodded. He swallowed harshly, then began to pull at the sash binding his kimono closed. The pale lavender robe was opened to reveal dark bruises painted over his torso, some in the shape of hands. Vicious red scratches marred his arms and throat where nails had been raked over the skin.  
"Oh gods..." Nasuti murmured.  
Bankotsu stifled a growl. Bastards...  
"Can you come over to the edge of the pool to wash off?" Nasuti asked him softly.  
Josue nodded wearily. Slowly he stood, reaching out to catch Bankotsu's arm for balance. The rest of the kimono pooled around his ankles and Nasuti had to look away, covering her mouth in horror.  
Josue's inner thighs were almost black with palm shaped bruised. Dried blood crusted over his legs and shaking his head, Bankotsu grabbed a towel to wrap around the other boy's waist. "Nasuti-sama, you can look again. He's covered."  
Nasuti shook her head. "Just bring him to the water. We have to wash it off...all of it."  
Bankotsu agreed silently and slowly brought Josue to the edge of the tub, where he sat him down.  
"He doesn't like deep water," Bankotsu remembered. "He told me his mother tried to..."  
"Drown him," Nasuti finished for him. "It was the talk of the town."  
Bankotsu grimaced. "We can sit him on the stairs leading into the pool; that way he'll be in the water, he won't have to stand, and it won't go too high on his body to make him uncomfortable."  
Nasuti nodded, "You move him. I'll get the soap and towels."  
"Alright. Josue, we're going to have to move again, and I need you to help me." Bankotsu helped Josue inch over to the stairs of the bath and slowly he lowered him onto the second stair. Josue hissed in pain at putting pressure on his bottom, but remained still. The water came up to Josue's torso, and Bankotsu prayed he was ok with that. He heard Nasuti coming back with the supplies. Bankotsu stripped down to his undergarments and slid into the pool letting the water rise up to his neck. "I'll wash the bottom; you get his face and upper body cleaned up."  
He knew the woman didn't want to have to deal with Josue's more sensitive areas. Bankotsu accepted a towel and soap from Nasuti and dipped beneath the water to get started on the cleaning process. The damage was unacceptable. Bankotsu had seen the aftermath of rape before on young girls and young boys, but this was something different. This wasn't just rape it was savagery. It was as if the men had wanted to rip Josue apart. He grimaced every time Josue's body spasmed when he touched the towel against tender flesh. He came up for air briefly to see the tears of pain streaking down his friend's face. Nasuti shushed him and ran a towel over his face, ridding it of blood and face paint, and Bankotsu went back under. He scrubbed the area between the loins, feeling more than just the crustiness of blood coming off on the towel. He shuddered in disgust as he wrung the towel clean and started on his legs and feet. Next, Josue would have to stand so he could get his backside. He wasn't looking forward to that.  
He came up again for air. "Nasuti?"  
Nasuti looked sadly at Bankotsu. "You through up there?"  
"Yes."  
"Josue?"  
Sleepy gray eyes gazed at him. "I need you to stand up for a bit and turn over onto your belly. Can you do that?"  
Josue's head dipped in compliance and Bankotsu helped him into a half standing position and turned him over onto his belly. "Nasuti, can you hold his head and make sure he doesn't slip."  
"Of course." Bankotsu did not let go of Josue's side until Nasuti took Josue's shoulders. "Thank you." Taking a deep breath, Bankotsu lathered the towel up with soap. "Josue, this is going to hurt-- a lot. I'm sorry."  
The boy didn't scream like Bankotsu thought he might and he gave him credit for that, but he went so still Bankotsu suspected he had passed out for a moment. He tried to be as gentle as he could, but he was so ill at ease he was sure the wounds weren't cleansed as well as they should have been. He wrung out the towel, not bothering to try to wash it. He was going to throw it out. He washed his hands carefully. "Hey, you still ok?" He touched his friend's bare back.  
Something unintelligible was mumbled back to him and Bankotsu sighed. He looked to Nasuti, "Lets get him out of here."  
With Nasuti's help Bankotsu got Josue out of the pool and they laid him on the deck, dabbing his dry with a large white towel. Nasuti stepped a way for a moment to grab a robe to drape around his body and a large basin. "Bankotsu, fill this basin with water so I can wash his hair. I didn't want to do it in the pool; he's got so much of it, and it would have taken too long."  
Bankotsu hopped up like a bunny and took the basin to fill it to the brim. He set it down beside Josue. "Should we comb it out first so it won't tangle so easily later?"  
Nasuti shook her head. "We'll get the filth out of it first, then we'll worry about tangles."  
Bankotsu nodded. Josue laid on his side while the two set about rinsing his hair free from blood and anything else polluting the fine tresses. The water turned red after a few dunks and Bankotsu had to pour it out and refill the basin. They washed the bottom top half first, then the bottom half, carefully pulling their fingers through the silken curls to disencumber them as they went along. Josue was quiet for the entire procedure. When they were finished and Nasuti was wrapping Josue's hair in a towel, Bankotsu crawled over to check on his friend's state to find him asleep.  
"He's out," Bankotsu whispered.  
Nasuti tied the towel. "Poor thing. Where is his father now? He's not coming after the boy is he? We'll have to go to the chieftain about this..."  
Bankotsu was shaking his head. "He's not coming...at all, ever."  
Nasuti looked confused, "Wh...." Then she gazed at Josue's blood soiled clothing, probably realizing that all that blood couldn't have possibly been his.  
"Oh..."  
"Wait until we have gone and been on the road a day before you go to the chieftain, please?"  
Nasuti sighed, but nodded.  
"Do you think he'll be ok to leave tomorrow morning?" Bankotsu stared at his slumbering friend. "We need to leave as soon as possible, but I don't want to hurt him more."  
"You will need to leave in the morning, if you want to be out and a good ways down the road before anyone finds.... the body. Even without me going to the chieftain, someone is bound to go to the house. The old man comes into town at least once a week; he has friends... all dirty men."  
Bankotsu grunted. He didn't care about the old man... "I'll have to take some things off of the horse. Josue will ride and I'll carry some things. We'll have to go back to his place in the morning though...to get some of the things he may need."  
"You can't take him back there! I can find clothes for him right here; what else could he possibly have of value there?"  
Bankotsu's mouth was a straight line. "I can think of one thing, and I'll go and get it for him myself."  
"Ban..."  
"He can sleep on my futon tonight," Bankotsu cut her off. "Will you help me lift him again?"

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Author's Note: Ok, all done. What did you think? Like it, hate it, don't care either way? Let me know! Please review ;). 


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Hello! I'm updating this while at work. (Shhhh!) ****J****. I never really get the chance to when I'm at home. Anyway, here is Chapter Six. I hope you like it. It's kind of short and I'll post the last part this week. I'm already on Chapter 3 of the next story. Reviewer responses are at the end of the chapter!**

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**Chapter 6**

**The night passed quickly as Josue slept like the dead. Bankotsu had ventured off as soon as Josue was tucked safely into bed to the woods to retrieve Jakotsutou. Surely Josue would want the sword. The forest was unnaturally still and quiet as Bankotsu entered the small clearing to look upon Josue's home. Josue had used Jakotsutou to kill his attackers, so it wouldn't be in the weapon room. He entered the first shack, curling his lip in disgust as the odor of blood invaded his nostrils. It smelled like rotting vegetation left in the sun to dry for weeks. He stepped over two dismembered bodies, careful not to misstep and get blood on the fresh clothes he'd just put on. The bastards were all in the same room drinking when Josue had entered. He saw the half full wooden basin of sake tainted with blood in the center of the room, a headless body laid beside it, hands reaching out as if it wanted to have one last taste of the alcohol. He didn't see the sword at all. Damn.**

**Carefully he trekked out of the wooden room, taking the entrance and exit Josue must have used... a trail of blood led to it. He pushed open the flimsy door to find Jakotsutou laying in the grass, glistening in the moonlight. He lifted the sword carefully and was shocked to note that it was clean. Not a single facet had been bloodied. Josue must have wiped it off, but why would he leave it? He remembered the frantic state Josue had been in when he'd appeared at Bankotsu's door. He hadn't been thinking clearly.**

**He looked to the trees, to the path that would take him back to town, and then back at the shacks. Josue would be in a lot of trouble when this mess was found. Everyone in town would undoubtably brand him a murderer no matter what his reasons, and they'd surely put him to death. If they had enough evidence...**

**Bankotsu grinned. His father had always told him never to leave messy trails behind. He slipped back inside the shack the bodies rested in and located the burnings ends of a candle. He kicked it to the floor and watched the dying fire begin to take on new life as it devoured the wooden floor boards. He found more candles that had lost their flames and relit them, tossing a couple to the floor. He kicked over the barrel of sake and smashed it by bringing the heel of his sandal down on it hard. Alcohol spread like butter over the floor, further fueling the fire. He took the larger splinters of wood from the shattered barrel and began to set them aflame. He torched the bodies one by one and left before the heat of the fire was to much for him to bear. The smoke was tolerable, barely burning his eyes. He stared at the red blaze of the first shack with a smirk of pleasure. Should he personally set fire to the others too, or should he trust that the fire would spread? He shrugged and gave a slight giggle. He kind of liked setting the first fire; it had been fun. He went in search of fallen branches and brought a few to the steadily growing fire and touched them to the flames. Once he'd made his new torches he ran into the second shack. He would start the fire in the middle of the....**

**

****He stopped, gazing around with a frown. The light from his torches gave him a good view of the small room. It was decorated with pale paper butterflies and stars. The artistry was amazing. A pile of ratty blankets were folded and tucked into one corner and on a small table a few inches from the floor was a porcelain box opened to reveal dishes of different paints used on the face and dozens of tiny, handmade paintbrushes. A large hairbrush sat beside the china box, its bristles old and worn with long strands of curly raven hair tangled in them. A blue hairpin laid on the floor at the foot of the table and Bankotsu almost stepped on it when he moved to get a closer look at the table. These things belonged to Josue; he was certain. Would the other boy like any of this stuff to take with him?**

**Bankotsu frowned and looked at the rapidly burning sticks of wood in his hands. He chucked the two in his left hand at the pile of blankets and scooped up the hairpin. He tucked it into his belt, and on second thought, he tucked the brush into his belt too. He didn't quite think a china box was a very practical thing to take with them so he left that. Sorry Josue, he thought sadly as he walked out of the shack. He tossed his final two torches into the third shack, sighing at the loss of all of those beautiful weapons.**

**Oh well.**

**His work was done. After reclaiming Jakotsutou, he disappeared into the woods, heading towards town, burning blazes at his back.**

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Author's Note: Did you like it, hate it; didn't care either way? Let me know! Please review!

Reviewer Responses:

Lily23: Hey chic, glad you think it's still good. J Thanks for reviewing again!

Ryogasgirl: Hehehe… Sorry about the gore, and I don't think I did much in this chapter to make up for it ;) But hey, it wasn't sad! Thanks for reviewing; I'm glad you liked it!

MageofDarkness: Hey girl. Ok, I guess this update was soon enough because no fruit-case muses chased me this week, lol. (I can't say the same for last week though ;). I'm glad you like the story so much. I wasn't really sure how people were going to respond to that last chapter. I've never posted anything so graphic before. When I watched the series, I always wondered what made Jakotsu that way. My friend and I figured he'd been molested or something awful. I'm glad you like the way I'm writing Bankotsu, since this series is going to be from his standpoint. He and Jakotsu are two of my favorite Inuyasha characters, after Sesshoumaru J so you'll see a lot of interaction between them no matter who the story is supposed to feature J. Thanks for the review and I hope you liked this chapter!

Cattico: Lol, they did deserve what happened to them, huh? Is Josue going to get in trouble? Not it there's no evidence (evil grin). Thanks for reviewing!

SpeakThaMind: Lol! Yes, the next member to be inducted is Suikotsu. I'm already on Chapter 3. By the time I post the end of this I'll be almost done and on to the next one lol! Thanks for reviewing; take care!


	8. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Hey, yeah it's me, and this is the end of the story (. I'm sorry that last chapter was so short. It originally was part of this chapter but I decided to break them up. Hope you enjoy the end; I'll have Suikotsu's part up in a few days. ( Thanks for the reviews!  
  
SpeakThaMind: I'm happy you think the story seems like something that could have happened. That's my goal ;). I hope I do a good enough job with Suikotsu... he's a little harder lol. Hey, do you know who joined after Suikotsu? I want to think it was Renkotsu and Ginkotsu and those two probably joined together. Well, thank you for the wonderful review! Take care!  
  
Cattico: Thank you (. Sorry about the brevity issue lol. I can't really say I make up for it much in this chapter though. It's still a little short, but the next story will be up soon. ( Thanks for always leaving a review!  
  
MageofDarkness: Lol, yes the bad men did get what they deserved, but Bankotsu made it to where Jakotsu could not get into too much trouble for it. There was no evidence in which to convict him cause Ban burned it, ;). People may start to ask question, but they'll be long gone by then (. Not too much action in this chapter I know, and hopefully you'll enjoy the conclusion. Yes, the next story is Suikotsu. Thanks for the great review. I love reading them! Take care!

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Chapter 7  
  
"Are you sure you're ok?" Bankotsu was asking Josue as he stared at the old horse he

was going to be riding upon. Nasuti had draped a soft blanket over the horse's back for Josue

to sit on to make the ride a little more comfortable for him.

Josue nodded softly, keeping his weary eyes to the ground. Bankotsu sighed. His friend

hadn't taken his eyes off the floor since Bankotsu had gotten him up that morning. Bankotsu

wanted to take his chin in his hand and raise his head, but he didn't know how Josue would

react to being touched in such a forceful manner.

Bankotsu had originally planned to leave earlier in the morning, but he had taken one look

at Josue and decided to give his friend more time to rest. Nasuti had been in to check on them

both that morning, her large eyes tired and puffy from lack of sleep. Wordlessly she had held out

the royal purple sheath with an over-the-shoulder carrying strap she had made for Jakotsutou.

She had gasped at the sword Bankotsu had brought back and fretted over how they were going

to carry both the new sword and Banryuu.

Nasuti came up to them, opening one of the saddle bags and tucking yet another parcel of

food inside. "I put some extra money in there too. You'll have to stop in the next town to rest

and to bathe in warm water. Josue must keep his wounds clean."

Bankotsu nodded as if accepting orders from a military general. Nasuti leaned in to

whisper, "Don't push him too hard, Bankotsu. He's in a lot of pain, even though he hasn't said

anything. This trip is going to make it worse. There's special tea in one of the pouches meant to

alleviate pain, but it will make him drowsy."

"Thank you," Bankotsu whispered back. They both turned to study the silent Josue. The

boy had woken, biting his lip in unexpected pain and had hobbled around, brushing off any

hands extended to help him. He thanked both Nasuti and Bankotsu quietly for their help the

previous night and hadn't spoken another word since. He'd accepted the clothes Nasuti had

given him and had stood still when she had altered them to fit him better. He had also taken his

hairbrush and hairpin from Bankotsu. He'd twisted his hair up and pinned it back in a female

fashion to keep it off his back and shoulders, long bangs falling to either side of his pale face.

Bankotsu had wondered about Josue's face. It seemed to be the only part of his body that

didn't have any marks on it what-so-ever. He'd asked Nasuti her opinion and her eyes had

watered. "Men try not to leave marks on....prostitutes. It lowers them in value...but if they feel

they have to, they try not to touch the face."

Bankotsu sighed, sorry he'd asked.

"We had better get going," Bankotsu said. He stared at Nasuti a moment before opening

his arms to give her a hug. The woman held him tight, kissing the top of his head. Bankotsu

memorized her sweet floral scent and the tenderness of her embrace. He would never forget this

woman. "I'll never forget you, Nasuti-sama."

"You had better not." Nasuti held him tighter, then finally released him. She fluffed his

bangs with one hand, then stifled a sob behind the other. "Take good care of yourself... and

Josue. If you ever need anything, know that you can always come here to me."

Bankotsu nodded. He knew he would always be welcome in her home, but he also knew

that he would probably never see Nasuti again. His road would not lead him in her direction

again, because it would cause him to go backwards or walk in circles. The only paths Bankotsu

had been taught to take in life were the straight ones.

He would not be back.

He watched Josue use a small wooden stool to stand on, so that he could climb onto the

horse's back. Once his friend was in place, Bankotsu gave Nasuti a beautiful smile. "Good bye."

"Good bye."

Bankotsu turned his head away from her then, directing his attention to lifting Banryuu and

patting the horse's bottom to get it moving. Josue waved to Nasuti briefly, then rested both

hands on the horse's neck.

A few people stared at them as they took the road out of town. Most pointed at Josue,

wondering aloud where he was going and who the little boy he was with was. Didn't the boy's

parents know that Josue was a pervert? Little boys shouldn't be left in his company lest he

pollute them too?

Bankotsu scowled at their words and glanced up to see Josue's face void of all emotion.

He sat stiff backed on the horse in another world. Their words bounced off his head and rolled

down his back easy.

He was used to it.

It was all he ever heard.

Bankotsu growled. "We're going to make a new name for you, Josue. No one's ever

going to dare to say anything bad about you again."

Josue sighed. "I don't care about them, Bankotsu."

He'd spoken! Bankotsu didn't know whether to be pleased or angry– he chose angry.

"Yeah, well I do. I don't want anyone making you feel like trash. You're not!" Bankotsu

was fuming. They passed into the woods, finally leaving town.

"As long as I am Aiko Josue, I am," Josue said solemnly.

Bankotsu made a face. "Well then... you'll no longer be Aiko Josue."

"What?"

"You'll have a new name. What would you like to be called?" Bankotsu trotted beside the

horse casually. A new name for Josue. He hadn't thought of it before, but it could be a good

idea. Josue was a poor village prostitute, now he had the chance to leave that person behind for

good.

"I...don't...know," Josue sounded faraway as he thought about it. "I don't really care. Why

don't you think of something, Bankotsu."

Bankotsu pouted. "I don't know." He really didn't. He had never had to name anything

before. What's in a name? Did Josue like names with meaning? What did "Josue" mean?

Perhaps, he would like something that simply sounded nice.

He frowned at his friend, wincing at the bright light reflecting from the hilt of Jakotsutou as it

rode like a small child strapped to Josue's back.

Hmm...

Jakotsutou...

Bankotsu.... Jakotsutou.... Jakotsu.

Jakotsu.

"How about Jakotsu?" Bankotsu asked, watching Josue for his initial reaction.

Josue blinked, "Jakotsu?" He seemed to think it over, playing with the name in his mind.

"After my sword?"

"Yeah...and uh...after me, kinda," Bankotsu said, feeling a bit sheepish.

Josue was quiet for a beat before he nodded. "Jakotsu. I could get used to it."

"So...?"

"Jakotsu it is." Josue ran a hand through the horse's thick mane. "Jakotsu and Bankotsu.

People will think we're related."

"Let them," Bankotsu shrugged. "We'll tell them we're brothers."

"I don't look like you."

"We're half brothers," Bankotsu rectified flatly.

"That's a little better, aniki," Josue retorted.

"Hey, shut up, Jos... er... Jakotsu. Shut up, Jakotsu," Bankotsu snapped.

And Jakotsu smirked. "Whatever you say... Aniki."

**The End**

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Author's Note: Well that's it for this one. I'll have the next one up in a few days. Tell me how you liked it! Please review! Take care!


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